Clothes cart



Dec. 13, 1955 D. A. FREEMAN CLOTHES CART 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 29, 1950 y/w A y wax 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 40 62 67 0 up" 40 /d Dec. 13, 1955 Filed April 29, 1950 CLOTHES CART David A. Freeman, Chicago, 111., assignor to G. H. Bishop Company, Chicago, III., a corporation of Illinois Application April 29, 1950, Serial No. 159,017

1 Claim. (Cl. 312213) This invention relates particularly to clothes or articlehandling carts for laundries, dry-cleaning plants, and the like, where, for instance, bundles and bags of clothes, garments and various articles to be washed or cleaned are brought in from customers by pick-up trucks.

Such bundles have to be opened, the articles handled and sorted into their respective classes for processing and be individually marked by tags or otherwise so that after processing they can be reassembled into packages for delivery to the customers.

In the usual plant this involves a large amount of time and labor with constant bending, stooping and lifting, especially on the part of the markers, usually women. The delivery trucks are unloaded into baskets, which are pushed into the fixed marking room of the plant and the baskets here unloaded to the sorting and marking tables as room thereon occurs.

It is an object of this invention to produce a device of the class described in the nature of a wheeled cart which is provided with an open top receptacle into which the bundles of clothes or the like may be loaded directly from the delivery truck, and with an article handling, sorting and marking table at comfortable work table height and substantially on a level with the bottom of the said bundle receptacle, the latter having an opening in the lower part of its forward wall in line with the surface of the table through which the bundles and articles may be drawn out on to the table for handling, sorting and attaching the markings. The cart with its loaded receptacle may be readily pushed or rolled to any convenient room or place for such sorting and marking.

Additional features and objects severally are found in the provision of a wall of the receptacle in such angular relation to the table as to cause the bundles in the receptacle to. gravitate toward the table for ease of withdrawing the same and so that first orders put into the receptacle are the first orders out, a swing-out arm for hanging specials, a slide-out bar for holding parts of orders while attaching marks or marking to other parts, and a shiftable writing desk for marking tags and holding marking supplies, all within convenient arms reach of the operator when working at the table and movable out of the way for transportation of the cart.

Furtherobjects and advantages will appear from the description and claims to follow in connection with the accompanying drawings which show by way of example, but not of limitation, several embodiments of the invention, and in which drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of the invention, showing the sorting table in closed position;

Fig. 2 is a similar view with the sorting table open ready for use in sorting and marking garments and articles;

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section of the device of Figs. 1 and 2, said section being taken on the plane indicated by the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; 7

Fig. 4 is a perspective elevation of a different form in that the work table is a horizontally slidable leaf instead 2,726,913 Patented Dec. 13, 1955 of an upwardly foldable leaf or downwardly operable side of the receptacle of Figs. 1 to 3;

Fig. 5 is a similar view of another form in which the table is stationary;

Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the writing desk and its supports of Figs. 1 to 4, and

Fig. 7 is a detail section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 4, showing the construction at the edge of the slidable table.

Referring to these drawings, a supporting vertical framework of metal bars, cross and diagonal braces suitably welded, riveted or otherwise secured together, is formed with a horizontal bed portion at substantially work table height, supporting legs with wheel treads below the bed portion, an open top receptacle above the bed portion for receiving bundles of garments or articles to be sorted and marked, and a sorting, handling and marking table at the bed portion. Thus, as shown particularly in Figs. 1 to 3, the bed structure comprises a rectangular frame 10 of angle iron bars, having supporting legs 11 of similar bars at the four corners of the bed with crossmembers 12 between the end legs and diagonal bracing 13 between the top portions of the legs and the bed frame, all welded, riveted or otherwise strongly and sturdily secured together.

Suitable wheels 14 for the lower ends or treads of the legs are provided, and which may be 10 inch semipneumatic wheels, fixed or non-swiveling at the one end of the structure and aero-type swivel wheels at the other end, for smoothly riding over bumps and holes in the floor surface and for easy maneuvering and positioning of the entire cart. The usual cylindrical socket and bearing sleeves 15 for the vertical stems or pivots of the swivel wheels may be welded in the inside angles of the legs 11, as indicated in Fig. 1. At the other end of the structure at the fixed wheels a suitable brake, such as the cross bar 16 slidably connected in any desired way at its ends with the legs 11 for limited vertical movement, may be pressed against the wheels 14 to produce more or less of a braking effect thereon. This brake bar may be depressed and raised by a suitable rod or bar 17 attached to the brake bar at its lower end, and passing slidably through the cross bar 12 with sufiicient friction or stiffness to hold the brake bar in any position. This brake-operating rod 17 is provided with a top hand grip 18 or knob for enabling it to be solidly pressed down by the hand or gripped for raising it. Such a brake is useful in case a heavily loaded cart is being rolled down an inclined passage or ramp, as well as for holding the cart in a stationary position for sorting and marking or otherwise.

A receptacle, preferably with an open top, is formed above the bed in the framework of the cart, in this instance by the vertical angle bar corner posts 1? which are joined at their upper ends by suitable strips 20 at the ends and 21 along the sides, forming a rectangle, and at their lower end, if desired, by suitable angle bars or strips 22. The posts 19 and bottom strips, if any, are firmly secured to the bed and leg structure below so that the receptacle forms a rigid part of the entire structure. The posts, strips, etc., of the receptacle are suitably welded, riveted, or otherwise secured together, the receptacle being of substantially the same cross-sectional area and size as the said bed.

The vertical side walls of the receptacle may be of expanded sheet metal generally denoted by numeral 23 for strength, lightness, ventilation and visibility, though any suitable material may be used. This material may be secured in any desired or well known way at the edges to the vertical posts 19, and to the top and bottom rails 20, 21, and 22.

At the front side, as it may be termed, of the receptacle, an opening is provided, as later explained, the material 23 of that side coming down only to the bar or strip 24 were 3 extending thereacross' from one corner post 19 to the other post, and to which the lower edge of the said material-23 is secured. a I V The closed bottom wall of the receptacle may comprise a sloping surface 25 formed of a sheet of metal downwardly bent at itsforward and back edges as indicated at 26 and27 in Fig. 3 and at its endssuitably secured to' the surrounding framework'in positionto cause its said surface 25 to slope downwardly from the, rear end of the receptacle to the bottom edge of the said opening in the front wall thereof. This inclined bottom, as will be eX- plained more fully, tends to urge and to cause the bundies of laundry or the like in the bottom of the receptacle to gravitate toward the said opening and to be the more readily passed and pulled out of'the said opening onto the handling, sorting and marking'tabl'e, which will now be described. 7

It will be understood that the bundles of articles as they come from the customers are of various sizes, weights and forms, and they are all thrown directly from the delivery or pick-up trucks into the receptacle of this device, and that the first concern of the plant is to get the articles individually marked with the least time and labor possible and so that when the processing is completed in the plant the articles, by their markings, may again be separated into individual packages for the customers.

Accordingly, this device includes a suitable work table 28 on which the bundles may be drawn out from the receptacle, usually one at a time, the bundles opened, the articles spread out and sorted into groups according to the different processing treatments the different articles may require in the plant, and the marking tags or the like pinned or applied to the articles so that each customer may get his own when the work is all done.

This table 28, which may be of sheet metal with its edges turned or flanged downwardly when opened or down as in Fig. 2 has its upper surface substantially horizontal and of even height with the abutting edge of the bottom 25 of the receptacle, and is supported at a comfortable work table height above the floor.

It is hinged at its inner edge to the framework of the structure in any desired way as by suitable hinges between the front rail of the frame and the edge of the table, or otherwise, to enable the table to be swung up 90 to stand alongside and form the closed front side of the receptacle, thereby closing the opening in the front side of the receptacle and folding the table out of theway. and reduce the over-all width of the cart for convenient travel of the entire apparatus or otherwise and, if necessary, to enable its passage through narrow doors or passageways.

To enable the'said side of the receptacle when lowered to be suitably supported to serve as the marking table 28, a sw nging supporting leg member is hinged at its upper end adjacent the outer edge of, the table so that when the table is lowered the member automatically swings out to an upright supporting position, its, lower end resting on the floor, and when the table is raised up the support raises with it, swinging back and folding against the same out of the way.

As shown, this support may comprise a metal tubular member bent to form the divergent legs 29 and the footbase 30 adapted .to engagethe floor. The upper ends of the legs 29 are suitably hinged or pivoted to and against the outer edge of the table,as by ears or lugs 31 (Fig. 3) pro ecting from the edge of thetable 28 to which the flattened upper ends of the legs 29 are revolubly pinned or pivoted.

This support is caused to swing in its indicated manner by a rod 32 extending between the foot 36 of the support and the horizontal portion of a bent brace rod 33 between and fixedly secured to the two front legs 11 of the structure. The ends of the rod 32 are secured to the sleeve 34 on thefoot 30 of the table support and on the brace 33, respectively, forlimited rotative movement ,thereon.

The result of this construction is that when the table 7 turned up. I I p p g When the table is closedup the desk maybe swung back isr'a'isedto closed'pesition; 'thesepartsautomatica'lly take the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and when the table is lowered they are likewise positioned as shown in Fig. 2 and in dotted lines in Fig. 3, the foot 30 or its sleeve 34 resting on the floor and providing lateral steadiness to the table as well as supporting itvertically. V

A suitable catch or lock 35 ofa'lny desired type between the upper edge of the" tableaiid the" frame of the top of the receptacle is provided to hold the table in closed position and while formiiiglthe' fifdt" side of the receptacle, said catch or lock being readily releasable for lowering said side to form the table a' s 'd'escribe d.

In the handling of such work of opening the bundles,

spreading the articles out, s dr ting them into. groups for V for temporarily storing or holding part of the order or.

bundle while or before'l markin 'in. For this purpose the table is provided with a' s'lid -ou't rack 3 6 of'rod whichis bent generally in u-rorm, the spaced apart legs of which pass throughapertures in the edge of the table 28 and lie underneath the table sheet, suitable stops on the legs preventing their withdrawal out of the table more than desired. Thus, the rack may be pulled and slid out as in Fig. 2 to serve as a rack forms parts or articles in readily graspable position by inserting the: fingers of the hand between the legs or bars, ortqbe pushed in, as in Fig. 1, out of the way when the table is foldedup.

A writing desk 37 of sheet metal may be provided at the end of the table 28 when lowered, the desk having a sloping writing surface 3 8 or cover hinged at the back edge to uncover a storage space beneath for working materials, purse, etc. An open recess in pocket 39 in the rear of the desk and of the writing surface is provided for tickets, tags, envelopes, pins, invoices and other marking supplies. This desk, Fig. 6, may be supported by two substantially parallel angularly arranged rods 40 revolubly attached, as indicated, to the cross-bar 12 0f, the main framework of the device. At their upper 'endsthe rods 4% are revolubly inserted insockle'ts' 41 suitably fixed to they outer side of the desk 37, as seen in Fig. 2. w

This construction is such that when the desk is down and in'u'se as in Fig. 2 (dotted lines in Fig. 3), the said desk may stand at the end of the table; Fig.1 shows the desk in this position also although the table here has been on the rods 40 until it is ac oss the end of the receptacle and within the limits offthe sides' so as not to'projecttoo far beyond them andin'erfeie with the transference of the device as a whole. poition of thedesk is indicated in full lines in Fig.3. This desk which the operator may consider some what personal may be lifted oflt the rods 40 and applied to another cart on which she many continue workingor be placed. on a flat shelf or support betweenmarkings. p 7

A special swing-out arm 42 maybe hi'ngedlyattached to a vertical post of the receptacle, for suits, dresses or the like, the same being "capable "of being swung back against the end of the receptacle when notin u'se.

The manner of use of the apparatus so far described will be apparent. The cart "with table and foreside of the receptacle folded latched up, the slide-out rack 36 pushed in, the writing desk pushed back to the end of the receptacle, fandthe swin mam 42 turned against the receptacle, ,is nian'uallypus earn led, or rolled to the unloading platform hr place to "the pick-up trucks where the bundles of articles to be processed in the plant are tossed or thrown directly from the trucks into'the receptacle- The capacity of the receptacle depends, of course, upon its size, but that shown is capablejof -handling the average, tr ck. d ivers :l' ad 10.52 1! woun or "so o a dles- With this weight and that of the device itself, which may be 200 pounds, the brake 16 may be found useful when rolling on any descending ramp or passageway.

The loaded carts are rolled to the most convenient and desirable place for the sorting and marking operations. Women operators usually do this work and by this device they are saved much bending and lifting, picking up and laying down, all day long, which increases fatigue and decreases production. In the usual space-consuming, dirtcatching fixed marking room, the working conditions may be uncomfortable, cold and drafty in winter and overheated in summer. With this device any space with adequate light and ventilation or warmth can become an efiicient marking place, and the articles when sorted and marked may be routed directly in their respective courses for processing in the plant. Thus, faulty plant layouts may be corrected and much needed additional area provided for actual production processes.

On arrival of the cart at the place for sorting and marking, the front side of the receptacle is let down to form the table and the other parts quickly arranged as in Fig. 2. The sloping bottom of the receptacle brings all work to the front within the operators easy reach. The receptacle opening in the front is relatively large. The first orders in are the first orders out. The table is at comfortable work-table height, usually about thirty seven inches above the floor.

Here the work is important. the articles spread out and sorted according to the treat ment and processing to be accorded them, and the marking tags are numbered or marked and pinned or otherwise marked or applied to the individual articles, the articles of the orders or bundles being kept separate from those of other bundles until they are properly marked. The supplies for all this are in the pocket of the writing desk. Any writing necessary to be done may be done on the surface 38 of the desk. The rack 36 is utilized for parts of orders before or while marking them in. Specials, such as dresses or the like, may be hung on the arm 42. The operator thus has at hand all supplies and features necessary for her eificiently and comfortably to handle this important work which not only aifects subsequent plant operation but ensures that the customers may get their own articles back after processing.

In Fig. 4 a somewhat smaller device for more crowded plants or other areas is shown. Here the sorting and marking table slides in and out of the base of the bundlereceiving receptacle and a swinging door or gate closes the opening in the front of the receptacle leading to the table when the table is pushed in.

The receptacle here shown for the bundles is of wire construction, as indicated, suitably spaced vertical wires forming the side walls 50 of the same and which may be in the form of side panels surrounded by heavier wire secured together at the corners 51. Intermed ate horizontal wires may surround the cage. At the bottom angle strips 52 receive the bases of the panels, all these parts being welded or otherwise secured together to form the receptacle.

A slanting bottom 53, substantially like the bottom 25 of Figs. 1 to 3, rests on the flange of angle bars 52 and is secured in the cage frame, and the sorting and marking table 54, corresponding to the table 28 of the first form, slides in and out of the receptacle base just beneath the forward edge of the slanting bottom.

Fig. 7 indicates the construction, a channel bar 56 of a general cross-section rests on the horizontal flange of angle bar 52 and against the downturned end of bottom 53 to which it is suitably secured. A flat metal strip 57 extends across the front from side to side and is welded at its ends to the edges of the horizontal flanges of angle bars 52. The table 54 slides in and out over this strip and under the flangeless front edge of the bottom 53, and is provided with suitable end edge rollers 58 adjacent its rearward part and operating in the said channels, whereby the table may be readily drawn out/0r pushed back and is retained thereby from tipping down so that it remains The bundles are opened,

horizontal at all times. Any well known or desired type of channel and roller means may be employed. The table is not drawn completely out, suitable stops being provided to retain it at a certain distance within its grooves, as indicated in Fig. 4 by the dotted line 59.

The marking table 54 is supplied with a slide-out rack 36, as before, as well as with a writing desk 37, the same as in the first form and which is supported in the same way upon the table bed structure by swingable rods 40, so as to be swung back at the end of the receptacle as in Fig. 3, or out at the end of the table 54 as shown. The outer end rod of the rack 36 may be flattened slightly to lie closely against the edge of the table when pushed in so that the table can be pushed fully into its groove, there being a sufiicient clearance for the end of the rack in the side slot of the channel 56.

A swing-out arm 42 for specials is pivotally attached near the top of one of the corner posts of the receptacle.

A wire door or gate 55, also in panel form, is hingedly secured to the receptacle at the upper edge of the opening leading to the table, and is adapted to be swung up as shown, or be turned down to close the opening when the device is to be loaded and rolled about. The hinging may permit a limited vertical movement of the panel so a suitable projection 44 thereon may enter a stop 45 in the bottom 53 when the door is down and may be hooked up to one or more of the wires of the cage when the door is swung up.

Suitable wheels or rollers 14 are provided for the legs 11 of the table bed structure, all of them preferably being of the swivel type. Braces 55 are provided for said legs.

in the use of the device, as will be understood from the foregoing, and in the condition of Fig. 4, the bundles are pulled from the receptacle onto the table 54 and there opened, the articles sorted and the markings suitably appiied thereto, and the same disposed of in their proper channels for processing in the plant.

When the device is to be pushed or rolled to the loading platforms, the gate or door 55 of the receptacle is let down and closed, the slide rack 36 is pushed into the table, and the table 54 is pushed back into the base of the receptacle. The writing desk is swung back into line with the receptacle and the special arm 42, if empty, is swung back against the end of the receptacle.

At the loading platform the bundles are tossed into the open top of the receptacle. When loaded the device is rolled back to the place for sorting and marking, and the parts put into the position of Fig. 4, for such sorting and marking.

This device is of smaller capacity than that of Fig. l and may be used in crowded areas. The receptacle and table section is firmly bolted as by a plurality of bolts 46, in each side, or otherwise detachably secured to the bed frame structure as shown, but if desired this section may be disconnected and placed as a unit on a counter or table, where space is limited and girls must do their own handling and marking. They would still have the pull-out table, the slide-out rack and the swinging holder for specials, and, if desired, the writing desk alongside on. the counter or table.

in the Fig. 5 form the base of the receptacle and the-v marking table are formed in one piece 60 secured to the supporting bed frame structure which may comprise a, suitable tube on each side having its ends bent down-. wardly to form the legs 61, the table 60 resting on and being secured to the horizontal parts of the tubes which join the legs. in this form the Wheels 14 are swivelled in front and not swivelled in the rear, similar to the Fig. 1 form.

The legs are braced by the members forming the frame of the expanded metal shelf 62. The shelf may be used for specials, nets, and for transporting packages to the delivery trucks.

In this form the receptacle may also be of wire panel construction, secured to the edges of the table at the 1 rear end, the front sidev of workingspace'onthetable and to direct the bundles towardrthe opening in the lower part of said sloping face sothat they maybe readily reached from the front of the table and pulled out onto the table. A swinging arm 42 for specials may be provided as V indicated, and the table may have a slide-out rack 36,

as in the other forms.

, A'writing. desk 37, like those before described, be

provided, but in this instance it is supported so as to curved up and v secured as by welding to the bottom of' the desk near its outer. edge, extend transversely and 7 slidably into and through apertures in the edge of the table andunder the table sheet 66. The desk, therefore, may be supported by said rods at substantially the edge of the table as shown or be slid laterally onto the top of said table when it is desired to move the cart about. Suitable stops on the rods 63 underneath, the table top, such as cotter keys passed through aperturestin the rods, prevent the desk from being inadvertently drawn out too far; yet are removable in case it is desired to remove the desk entirely from the table.

It will be understoodthat the apertures for the p'assage of these desk-supporting rods 63, as well as those for the slide-out rack 36, pass through the tablesupporting rods as well as through the downturned edge flange of the table 60. The table-supporting rods are securely connected by welding the table top to prevent any weaving. or twistingof the said rods and top.

The manner of use of the device will be understood from the description heretofore given and need not be repeated here. The device as a unitary construction is readily rolled to'the truck-unloading area, is loaded directly from the trucks, then wheeled to a suitable Place forsorting and, marking and the work there done in a rapidland efficient manner without excessive lifting and bending on the part of, the operators.

Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully explain the gist of the invention that others may, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt the same for the receptacle over. the table a being inclined toward the rear, asshown, to provide more use under varying conditions,ofservice without elim'.-.

inating certainfeatures which mayproperly. be said; to constitute the essential. items of novelty. involved, which: items are intendedto. beadefined and secured. by the following claim.

I claim: Atclothescart for transporting, sorting, and marking; clothes, comprising a supporting structure having-depend. ing legs with wheel treads, a bundle'and .article-receiving receptacle having bottom andside walls onsaid structure, and anopen top to'receive such bundles andart'icle's, said side walls being of'foraminous material, the lower front}. wall, of the receptacle having an opening for the exitv passage-of the articles .and bundles, a-tableihinged adja cent the bottom. of. the, receptacle and said. opening;and adapted to extend horizontally. at-work table.heigl'ltzfor sorting andmarking .the articles fromrth eieceptacle, said table being adaptedtobe turnedup along the frontside of the receptacle and closing: the opening-therein and: reducing the over-all widthof the cart and table, and; a foldable support for the outer portion of said table when downin workingposition, comprising a swinging leg member hinged at its upper end to the table; and adapted to engage the fioor at its lower endwhen the table is let down, a transverse leg member extending between the forward legs of said cart and a'connection' between the lower. end ofv said swinging leg member and said transverse member to swing the lower end of the swinging leg member in toward the table when the latter israised and 'to swing itoutWardly-to supporting position when thetabie is let down. a

References ,Cited inthe .file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

